Fuel Gas Distribution Method

ABSTRACT

Fuel gas distribution method where residual fuel gas in a mobile fuel gas storage vessel being transported by a transport vehicle is transferred from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel to the transport vehicle for generating power. The fuel gas may be natural gas or hydrogen. The transport vehicle may be a fuel cell vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Use of fuel gases such as natural gas and hydrogen as transportationfuels, are gaining greater acceptance. These fuel gases need to bedistributed to dispensing stations where the fuel gases are subsequentlydispensed to fuel tanks in vehicles, for example, fuel cell vehicles.

Fuel gases are often transported from a fuel gas source in one or moremobile fuel gas storage vessels by a vehicle (i.e. a truck) to adispensing station. At the dispensing station, the fuel gas isoff-loaded, either by transferring the fuel gas from the one or moremobile fuel gas storage vessels to fixed storage vessels at thedispensing station, or by leaving the one or more mobile fuel gasstorage vessels at the dispensing station for dispensing fuel gasdirectly from the one or more mobile fuel gas storage vessels to fueltanks in vehicles. Distribution of fuel gas is described, for example,in EP 3 249 281, EP 3 249 282, EP 3 263 969, and U.S. Pat. No.6,786,245, each incorporated herein by reference.

After the fuel gas has been off-loaded, the one or more mobile fuel gasstorage vessels are transported back to a refilling station where theone or more mobile fuel gas storage vessels are refilled. A residualamount of fuel gas remains in each of the one or more mobile fuel gasstorage vessels when one or more mobile fuel gas storage vessels aretransported back to the refilling station. This residual amount of fuelgas is sometimes called the “heel”. This residual amount of fuel gasthat is transported back to the refilling station represents aninefficiency in the distribution of the fuel gas.

Industry desires greater utilization of fuel gases in the distributionof the fuel gases.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a fuel gas distribution method.

There are several aspects of the invention as outlined below. In thefollowing, specific aspects of the invention are outlined below. Thereference numbers and expressions set in parentheses are referring to anexample embodiment explained further below with reference to thefigures. The reference numbers and expressions are, however, onlyillustrative and do not limit the aspect to any specific component orfeature of the example embodiment. The aspects can be formulated asclaims in which the reference numbers and expressions set in parenthesesare omitted or replaced by others as appropriate.

Aspect 1. A fuel gas distribution method comprising:

-   -   transporting a mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) to a delivery        location;    -   off-loading fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel        (20) at the delivery location until the mobile fuel gas storage        vessel (20) has been depleted to a depletion level, the mobile        fuel gas storage vessel (20) having a residual amount of gaseous        fuel gas contained therein;    -   providing a connection (40) between the mobile fuel gas storage        vessel (20) and a power generator (50) of a transport vehicle        (10) for transfer of gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas        storage vessel (20) to the power generator (50) of the transport        vehicle (10);    -   transporting the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) using the        transport vehicle (10) while transferring a portion of the        residual amount of gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas        storage vessel (20) to the transport vehicle (10) and consuming        the portion of the residual amount of gaseous fuel gas in the        power generator (50) to generate power for the transport vehicle        (10).

Aspect 2. The fuel gas distribution method according to aspect 1 whereinthe fuel gas is off-loaded to a fuel gas dispensing station (30) at thedelivery location.

Aspect 3. The fuel gas distribution method according to aspect 2, themethod further comprising

-   -   dispensing fuel gas from the dispensing station (30) to a        plurality of receiving vessels;    -   wherein each receiving vessel of the plurality of receiving        vessels is an onboard storage vessel on board a respective        vehicle.

Aspect 4. The fuel gas distribution method according to any one ofaspects 1 to 3 wherein the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) istransported to a refilling station (60) in the step of transporting themobile fuel gas storage vessel using the transport vehicle (10), themethod further comprising:

-   -   refilling the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) with fuel gas        at the refilling station (60).

Aspect 5. The fuel gas distribution method according to any one ofaspects 1 to 4 wherein the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) is one ofa plurality of physically-connected mobile fuel gas storage vessels (20,21, 22, 23),

-   -   wherein the plurality of physically-connected mobile fuel gas        storage vessels (20, 21, 22, 23) are transported to a second        delivery location using the transport vehicle (10), the method        further comprising:    -   off-loading fuel gas from a second mobile fuel gas storage        vessel (21) of the plurality of physically-connected mobile fuel        gas storage vessels (20, 21, 22, 23) at the second delivery        location.

Aspect 6. The fuel gas distribution method according to any one ofaspects 1 to 5 wherein the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) isadapted to store liquid fuel gas,

-   -   wherein the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) is transported        to the delivery location by the transport vehicle (10);    -   wherein a portion of the liquid fuel gas evaporates to form        vaporized gaseous fuel gas during transport of the mobile fuel        gas storage vessel (20) by the transport vehicle (10); and    -   wherein the connection (40) is provided between the mobile fuel        gas storage vessel (20) and the power generator (50) of the        transport vehicle (10) for transfer of gaseous fuel gas from the        mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) to the power generator (50)        of the transport vehicle (10);    -   the method further comprising:    -   transferring the vaporized gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuel        gas storage vessel (20) to the power generator (50) of the        transport vehicle (10) and consuming the vaporized gaseous fuel        gas to generate power for the transport vehicle (10) while        transporting the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) to the        delivery location.

Aspect 7. The fuel gas distribution method according to any one ofaspects 1 to 5

-   -   wherein the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) is transported        to the delivery location using a second transport vehicle (11);    -   wherein the step of off-loading fuel gas comprises:    -   detaching the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) from the        second transport vehicle (11) at the delivery location; and    -   operatively connecting the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20)        to a fuel gas receiving coupler at the delivery location.

Aspect 8. The fuel gas distribution method according to aspect 7 whereinthe mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) is adapted to store liquid fuelgas,

-   -   wherein a portion of the liquid fuel gas evaporates to form        vaporized gaseous fuel gas during transport of the mobile fuel        gas storage vessel (20) by the second transport vehicle (11);        the method further comprising:    -   providing a connection (42) between the mobile fuel gas storage        vessel (20) and a power generator (51) of the second transport        vehicle (11) for transfer of the vaporized gaseous fuel gas from        the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) to the power generator        (51) of the second transport vehicle (11); and    -   transferring the vaporized gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuel        gas storage vessel (20) to the power generator (51) of the        second transport vehicle (11) and consuming the vaporized        gaseous fuel gas to generate power for the second transport        vehicle (11) while transporting the mobile fuel gas storage        vessel (20) to the delivery location.

Aspect 9. The fuel gas distribution method according to any one ofaspects 1 to 8 wherein the step of off-loading fuel gas comprises:

-   -   operatively connecting the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20)        to one or more fixed storage vessels (31) at the delivery        location; and    -   transferring fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel        (20) to the one or more fixed storage vessels (31) at the        delivery location.

Aspect 10. The fuel gas distribution method according to any one ofaspects 1 to 9 wherein the transport vehicle (10) comprises a primaryfuel gas storage vessel (45) which is fixed to the transport vehicle(10), and wherein transferring the portion of the residual amount offuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) to the transportvehicle (10) comprises transferring fuel gas from the mobile fuel gasstorage vessel (20) to the primary fuel gas storage vessel (45).

Aspect 11. The fuel gas distribution method according to any one ofaspects 1 to 10 wherein the transport vehicle (10) comprises a primaryfuel gas storage vessel (45) which is fixed to the transport vehicle(10), and wherein transferring the portion of the residual amount offuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) to the transportvehicle (10) comprises transferring fuel gas from the mobile fuel gasstorage vessel (20) directly to the power generator (50) of thetransport vehicle (10), bypassing the primary fuel gas storage vessel(45).

Aspect 12. The fuel gas distribution method according to any one ofclaims 1 to 11 wherein the power generator (50) is an internalcombustion engine for driving the transport vehicle (10) and/orgenerating electric power for operating one or more electric componentsof the transport vehicle (10).

Aspect 13. The fuel gas distribution method according to any one ofclaims 1 to 11 wherein the power generator (50) is a fuel cell forgenerating electric power for operating one or more electric componentsof the transport vehicle (10).

Aspect 14. The fuel gas distribution method according to the precedingclaim wherein the transport vehicle (10) comprises an electric motor fordriving the transport vehicle (10), and the fuel cell delivers electricpower to the electric motor.

Aspect 15. A fuel gas distribution system comprising:

-   -   a mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) containing a liquid and/or        compressed fuel gas;    -   a first transport vehicle (10) comprising a power generator (50)        to generate power for the first transport vehicle (10) and a        primary fuel gas storage vessel (45) which is fixed to the first        transport vehicle (10) and connected with the power generator        (50) of the first transport vehicle (10) to supply fuel gas to        this power generator (50); and    -   a second transport vehicle (11) comprising a power generator        (51) to generate power for the second transport vehicle (11) and        a primary fuel gas storage vessel (46) which is fixed to the        second transport vehicle (11) and connected with the power        generator (51) of the second transport vehicle (11) to supply        fuel gas to this power generator (51);    -   each of the transport vehicles (10, 11) configured to transport        the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) to a delivery location        for off-loading fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel        (20) at the delivery location;    -   wherein the mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) and/or each of        the first transport vehicle (10) and the second transport        vehicle (11) is/are provided with a respective connecting line        and/or a coupling to provide a connection (40, 42) between the        mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) and the power generator (50;        51) of the respective one of the first and second transport        vehicles (10, 11) for transfer of gaseous fuel gas from the        mobile fuel gas storage vessel (20) to the power generator (50,        51) of the respective one of the first and second transport        vehicles (10, 11).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustrating distribution of a fuel gas.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustrating distribution of a fuel gas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The ensuing detailed description provides preferred exemplaryembodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability,or configuration of the invention. Rather, the ensuing detaileddescription of the preferred exemplary embodiments will provide thoseskilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing thepreferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, it being understoodthat various changes may be made in the function and arrangement ofelements without departing from the scope of the invention as defined bythe claims.

The articles “a” and “an” as used herein mean one or more when appliedto any feature in embodiments of the present invention described in thespecification and claims. The use of “a” and “an” does not limit themeaning to a single feature unless such a limit is specifically stated.The article “the” preceding singular or plural nouns or noun phrasesdenotes a particular specified feature or particular specified featuresand may have a singular or plural connotation depending upon the contextin which it is used.

The adjective “any” means one, some, or all indiscriminately of whateverquantity.

The term “and/or” placed between a first entity and a second entityincludes any of the meanings of (1) only the first entity, (2) only thesecond entity, and (3) the first entity and the second entity. The term“and/or” placed between the last two entities of a list of 3 or moreentities means at least one of the entities in the list including anyspecific combination of entities in this list. For example, “A, B and/orC” has the same meaning as “A and/or B and/or C” and comprises thefollowing combinations of A, B and C: (1) only A, (2) only B, (3) onlyC, (4) A and B and not C, (5) A and C and not B, (6) B and C and not A,and (7) A and B and C.

The phrase “at least one of” preceding a list of features or entitiesmeans one or more of the features or entities in the list of entities,but not necessarily including at least one of each and every entityspecifically listed within the list of entities and not excluding anycombinations of entities in the list of entities. For example, “at leastone of A, B, or C” (or equivalently “at least one of A, B, and C” orequivalently “at least one of A, B, and/or C”) has the same meaning as“A and/or B and/or C” and comprises the following combinations of A, Band C: (1) only A, (2) only B, (3) only C, (4) A and B and not C, (5) Aand C and not B, (6) B and C and not A, and (7) A and B and C.

The term “plurality” means “two or more than two.”

As used herein, “first,” “second,” “third,” etc. are used to distinguishfrom among a plurality of steps and/or features, and is not indicativeof the total number, or relative position in time and/or space unlessexpressly stated as such.

In the claims, letters may be used to identify claimed steps (e.g. (a),(b), and (c)). These letters are used to aid in referring to the methodsteps and are not intended to indicate the order in which claimed stepsare performed, unless and only to the extent that such order isspecifically recited in the claims.

The present disclosure relates to a fuel gas distribution method. A fuelgas is any one of a number of fuels that under ordinary conditions aregaseous. The fuel gas may comprise at least one of hydrogen and methane.The fuel gas may be industrial grade hydrogen having a hydrogenconcentration meeting established hydrogen fuel cell purity standards,or for example, at least 99.97 vol. %. The fuel gas may be natural gascomprising methane. The natural gas may have a methane concentration ofat least 90 vol. %. The fuel gas may contain natural gas and hydrogen ina gas mixture.

The fuel gas distribution method is described with reference to FIG. 1and FIG. 2.

The fuel gas distribution method comprises transporting a mobile fuelgas storage vessel 20 to a delivery location. The mobile fuel gasstorage vessel 20 may be adapted to store compressed fuel gas. Themobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 may be one of a plurality ofphysically-connected mobile fuel gas storage vessels 20, 21, 22, and 23,for example, on a tube trailer. The plurality of mobile fuel gas storagevessels may comprise any number of fuel gas storage vessels.

The mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 may be adapted to store liquidfuel gas. The mobile fuel gas storage vessel may be a fuel gas storagevessel on a trailer, for example, an insulated tanker for carryingliquid fuel gas. When the fuel gas is stored in the mobile fuel gasstorage vessel 20 as a liquid fuel gas, a portion of the fuel gas isevaporated to form gaseous fuel gas during transport of the mobile fuelgas storage vessel 20 by the transport vehicle. The liquid fuel gas maybe evaporated in an evaporator to form the gaseous fuel gas.

A connection 41 may be provided between the mobile fuel gas storagevessel 20 and the power generator 50 of the transport vehicle 10 fortransfer of the gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel20 to the power generator 50 of the transport vehicle 10. The method mayfurther comprise transferring the gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuelgas storage vessel 20 to the power generator 50 of the transport vehicle10 and consuming the gaseous fuel gas to generate power for thetransport vehicle 10 while transporting the mobile fuel gas storagevessel 20 to the delivery location. Alternatively or in addition, themethod may comprise transferring the gaseous fuel gas from the mobilefuel gas storage vessel 20 to a power generator 50 of the vehicle togenerate auxiliary power.

The plurality of mobile fuel gas storage vessels 20, 21, 22, and 23 mayhave been transported to one or more other delivery locations and fuelgas off-loaded from one or more of the plurality of mobile fuel gasstorage vessels 20, 21, 22, and 23 prior to being transported to thisdelivery location. The plurality of mobile fuel gas storage vessels 20,21, 22, and 23 may be transported to one or more other deliverylocations and fuel gas off-loaded from one or more of the plurality ofmobile fuel gas storage vessels 20, 21, 22, and 23 after beingtransported to this delivery location.

The fuel gas distribution method comprises off-loading fuel gas from themobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 at the delivery location until themobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 has been depleted to a depletionlevel. The fuel gas may be off-loaded to a fuel gas dispensing station30 at the delivery location. The off-loading may be, for example,carried out by transferring the fuel gas from the mobile fuel gasstorage vessel 20 to fixed storage vessels 31 at the delivery locationas shown in FIG. 1. The off-loading may be, for example, carried out byleaving the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 at the delivery locationtemporarily as shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 1 where the off-loading is carried out by transferringthe fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 to fixed storagevessels 31 at the delivery location, the step of off-loading comprisesoperatively connecting the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 to one ormore fixed storage vessels 31 at the delivery location and transferringfuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 to the one or morefixed storage vessels 31 at the delivery location. The one or more fixedstorage vessels may be part of a fuel gas dispensing station. The fuelgas may be dispensed from the fuel gas dispensing station to a pluralityof receiving vessels, for example fuel tanks of automobiles. The fuelgas may be transferred from the one or more fixed storage vessels to theplurality of receiving vessels.

After off-loading the fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel20 to the depletion level, the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 has aresidual amount of gaseous fuel gas contained therein. The depletionlevel may be a “selected” depletion level, which is predetermined. Thedepletion level may be a “causal” depletion level, which is due to aphysical limitation of how much fuel gas can be offloaded, for example,by pressure transfer or transfer using a pump/compressor. The residualamount of fuel gas may be decreased using a compressor duringoff-loading.

Off-loading fuel gas from mobile fuel gas storage vessels to fuel gasdispensing stations is known in the art, for example, from EP 3 249 281,EP 3 249 282, and EP 3 263 969.

Subsequent to off-loading fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storagevessel 20, the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 may be transported by atransport vehicle 10 to a refilling station 60 to be refilled with fuelgas. The mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 may be refilled with fuel gasat the refilling station 60. The transport vehicle may be, for example,a truck or tractor.

The transport vehicle 10 has an onboard power generator 50 that canutilize the same fuel gas type to generate power for some or all of therequirements of the transport vehicle 10. The power generator 50 canprovide power for the powertrain of the transport vehicle and/orauxiliary power.

The transport vehicle may have an electric motor. Hydrogen may be usedin a fuel cell to provide electricity for the electric motor. The fuelcell may constitute the power generator 50. The transport vehicle may besupplemented by battery power. The transport vehicle may operate usingbattery power until the mobile fuel gas storage vessel is depleted tothe depletion level and then switch over to using the residual fuel gas.The transport vehicle may operate using fuel gas from a primary fuel gasstorage vessel 45 fixed to the transport vehicle. The transport vehiclemay operate using fuel gas from the primary fuel gas storage vessel 45until the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 is depleted to the depletionlevel and then switch over to using the residual fuel gas. The residualfuel gas may be transferred from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20to the primary fuel gas storage vessel 45. Alternatively, the residualfuel gas may be transferred from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20directly to the power generator 50 of the transport vehicle 10,bypassing the primary fuel gas storage vessel 45.

The transport vehicle may have an internal combustion engine. Hydrogenor natural gas may be used in the internal combustion engine. Theinternal combustion engine may constitute the power generator.

The fuel gas distribution method comprises providing a connection 40between the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 containing the residualamount of gaseous fuel gas and a power generator 50 of a transportvehicle 10 for transfer of gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuel gasstorage vessel 20 to the power generator 50 of the transport vehicle 10.The mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 may be connected directly to thepower generator 50 of the transport vehicle 10 or via the primarystorage vessel 45.

If the mobile fuel gas storage vessel has been left at the deliverylocation, as shown in FIG. 2, the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 maybe connected, after off-loading at the delivery location, to the sametransport vehicle that transported the mobile fuel gas storage vessel tothe delivery location. The mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 mayalternatively be connected to a different transport vehicle than thatwhich transported the mobile fuel gas storage vessel to the deliverylocation.

The fuel gas distribution method comprises transporting the mobile fuelgas storage vessel 20 using the transport vehicle 10 while transferringa portion of the residual amount of gaseous fuel gas from the mobilefuel gas storage vessel 20 to the transport vehicle 10 and consuming theportion of the residual amount of gaseous fuel gas in the powergenerator 50 to generate power for the transport vehicle 10 whiletransporting the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20.

The fuel gas distribution method may comprise dispensing fuel gas fromthe dispensing station 30 to a plurality of receiving vessels (notshown). The receiving vessels may be onboard storage vessels on boardrespective vehicles (i.e. a fuel tank in an automobile). The fuel gasmay be dispensed to the receiving vessels according to any knowndispensing method. The dispensing method may comprise cascade filling.

The plurality of physically-connected mobile fuel gas storage vessels20, 21, 22, and 23 may be transported to a second delivery locationusing the transport vehicle 10. The fuel gas may be off-loaded to asecond fuel gas dispensing station (not shown) at the second deliverylocation. Fuel gas may be off-loaded from a second mobile fuel gasstorage vessel 21 of the plurality of physically-connected mobile fuelgas storage vessels 20, 21, 22, and 23 at the second delivery location.

The fuel gas may be off-loaded until the second mobile fuel gas storagevessel 21 of the plurality of physically-connected mobile fuel gasstorage vessels 20, 21, 22, and 23 has been depleted to a depletionlevel, the second mobile fuel gas storage vessel 21 having a residualamount of fuel gas contained therein. A connection may be providedbetween the second mobile fuel gas storage vessel 21 containing theresidual amount of fuel gas and the power generator of the transportvehicle 10 for transfer of fuel gas from the second mobile fuel gasstorage vessel 21 to the power generator 50 of the transport vehicle 10.The mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 may be connected directly to thepower generator 50 of the transport vehicle 10 or via the storage vessel45. The plurality of physically-connected mobile fuel gas storagevessels 20, 21, 22, and 23 may be transported using the transportvehicle 10 while transferring a portion of the residual amount of fuelgas from the second mobile fuel gas storage vessel 21 to the transportvehicle 10 where the transport vehicle 10 consumes the portion of theresidual amount of fuel gas in the power generator 50 to generate powerfor the transport vehicle 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 may betransported to the delivery location using a second transport vehicle11. The step of off-loading fuel gas may comprise detaching the mobilefuel gas storage vessel 20 from the second transport vehicle 11 at thedelivery location and operatively connecting the mobile fuel gas storagevessel 20 to a fuel gas receiving coupler at the delivery location.

The fuel gas receiving coupler of the delivery location may be areceiving coupler for a fuel gas dispensing station. The fuel gas may bedispensed from the fuel gas dispensing station to a plurality ofreceiving vessels where the fuel gas is transferred (directly) from themobile fuel gas storage vessel to the plurality of receiving vessels viathe fuel gas dispensing station (without intermediate storage of thefuel gas in any fixed storage vessels of the fuel gas dispensingstation) thereby depleting the fuel gas in the mobile fuel gas storagevessel to the depletion level.

Fuel gas may be dispensed using the well-known cascade fillingtechnique.

After the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 has been depleted to adepletion level, the transport vehicle 10 may collect the mobile fuelgas storage vessel 20. The connection 40 may be provided between themobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 containing the residual amount ofgaseous fuel gas and the power generator 50 of the transport vehicle 10.The mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 may be transported using transportvehicle 10 while transferring a portion of the residual amount ofgaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 to thetransport vehicle 10 and consuming the portion of the residual amount ofgaseous fuel gas in the power generator 50 to generate power for thetransport vehicle 10.

The mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 may be adapted to store liquidfuel gas. A portion of the liquid fuel gas may evaporate to form gaseousfuel gas during transport of the mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 bythe second transport vehicle 11 as shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, a connection 42 may be provided between the mobilefuel gas storage vessel 20 and the power generator 50 of the secondtransport vehicle 11 for transfer of the gaseous fuel gas from themobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 to the power generator 51 of thesecond transport vehicle 11. Gaseous fuel gas may be transferred fromthe mobile fuel gas storage vessel 20 to the power generator 51 of thesecond transport vehicle 11 and gaseous fuel gas consumed to generatepower for the second transport vehicle 11 while transporting the mobilefuel gas storage vessel 20 to the delivery location. The mobile fuel gasstorage vessel 20 may be connected directly to the power generator 51 ofthe transport vehicle 11 or via the primary storage vessel 46 fixed tothe transport vehicle 11.

The fuel gas may be hydrogen. The power generator of the secondtransport vehicle may comprise a fuel cell. The second transport vehiclemay be a fuel cell vehicle.

1. A fuel gas distribution method comprising: transporting a mobile fuelgas storage vessel to a delivery location; off-loading fuel gas from themobile fuel gas storage vessel at the delivery location until the mobilefuel gas storage vessel has been depleted to a depletion level, themobile fuel gas storage vessel having a residual amount of gaseous fuelgas contained therein; providing a connection between the mobile fuelgas storage vessel and a power generator of a transport vehicle fortransfer of gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel tothe power generator of the transport vehicle; transporting the mobilefuel gas storage vessel using the transport vehicle while transferring aportion of the residual amount of gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuelgas storage vessel to the transport vehicle and consuming the portion ofthe residual amount of gaseous fuel gas in the power generator togenerate power for the transport vehicle.
 2. The fuel gas distributionmethod according to claim 1 wherein the fuel gas is off-loaded to a fuelgas dispensing station at the delivery location.
 3. The fuel gasdistribution method according to claim 2, the method further comprisingdispensing fuel gas from the dispensing station to a plurality ofreceiving vessels; wherein each receiving vessel of the plurality ofreceiving vessels is an onboard storage vessel on board a respectivevehicle.
 4. The fuel gas distribution method according to claim 1wherein the mobile fuel gas storage vessel is transported to a refillingstation in the step of transporting the mobile fuel gas storage vesselusing the transport vehicle, the method further comprising: refillingthe mobile fuel gas storage vessel with fuel gas at the refillingstation.
 5. The fuel gas distribution method according to claim 1wherein the mobile fuel gas storage vessel is one of a plurality ofphysically-connected mobile fuel gas storage vessels, wherein theplurality of physically-connected mobile fuel gas storage vessels aretransported to a second delivery location using the transport vehicle,the method further comprising: off-loading fuel gas from a second mobilefuel gas storage vessel of the plurality of physically-connected mobilefuel gas storage vessels at the second delivery location.
 6. The fuelgas distribution method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile fuel gasstorage vessel is adapted to store liquid fuel gas, wherein the mobilefuel gas storage vessel is transported to the delivery location by thetransport vehicle; wherein a portion of the liquid fuel gas evaporatesto form vaporized gaseous fuel gas during transport of the mobile fuelgas storage vessel by the transport vehicle; and wherein the connectionis provided between the mobile fuel gas storage vessel and the powergenerator of the transport vehicle for transfer of gaseous fuel gas fromthe mobile fuel gas storage vessel to the power generator of thetransport vehicle; the method further comprising: transferring thevaporized gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel tothe power generator of the transport vehicle and consuming the vaporizedgaseous fuel gas to generate power for the transport vehicle whiletransporting the mobile fuel gas storage vessel to the deliverylocation.
 7. The fuel gas distribution method according to claim 1wherein the mobile fuel gas storage vessel is transported to thedelivery location using a second transport vehicle; wherein the step ofoff-loading fuel gas comprises: detaching the mobile fuel gas storagevessel from the second transport vehicle at the delivery location; andoperatively connecting the mobile fuel gas storage vessel to a fuel gasreceiving coupler at the delivery location.
 8. The fuel gas distributionmethod according to claim 7 wherein the mobile fuel gas storage vesselis adapted to store liquid fuel gas, wherein a portion of the liquidfuel gas evaporates to form vaporized gaseous fuel gas during transportof the mobile fuel gas storage vessel by the second transport vehicle;the method further comprising: providing a connection between the mobilefuel gas storage vessel and a power generator of the second transportvehicle for transfer of the vaporized gaseous fuel gas from the mobilefuel gas storage vessel to the power generator of the second transportvehicle; and transferring the vaporized gaseous fuel gas from the mobilefuel gas storage vessel to the power generator of the second transportvehicle and consuming the vaporized gaseous fuel gas to generate powerfor the second transport vehicle while transporting the mobile fuel gasstorage vessel to the delivery location.
 9. The fuel gas distributionmethod according to claim 1 wherein the step of off-loading fuel gascomprises: operatively connecting the mobile fuel gas storage vessel toone or more fixed storage vessels at the delivery location; andtransferring fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel to the oneor more fixed storage vessels at the delivery location.
 10. The fuel gasdistribution method according to claim 1 wherein the transport vehiclecomprises a primary fuel gas storage vessel which is fixed to thetransport vehicle, and wherein transferring the portion of the residualamount of fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel to thetransport vehicle comprises transferring fuel gas from the mobile fuelgas storage vessel to the primary fuel gas storage vessel.
 11. The fuelgas distribution method according to claim 1 wherein the transportvehicle comprises a primary fuel gas storage vessel which is fixed tothe transport vehicle, and wherein transferring the portion of theresidual amount of fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel tothe transport vehicle comprises transferring fuel gas from the mobilefuel gas storage vessel directly to the power generator of the transportvehicle, bypassing the primary fuel gas storage vessel.
 12. The fuel gasdistribution method according to claim 1 wherein the power generator isan internal combustion engine for driving the transport vehicle and/orgenerating electric power for operating one or more electric componentsof the transport vehicle.
 13. The fuel gas distribution method accordingto claim 1 wherein the power generator is a fuel cell for generatingelectric power for operating one or more electric components of thetransport vehicle.
 14. The fuel gas distribution method according toclaim 13 wherein the transport vehicle comprises an electric motor fordriving the transport vehicle, and the fuel cell delivers electric powerto the electric motor.
 15. A fuel gas distribution system comprising: amobile fuel gas storage vessel containing a liquid and/or compressedfuel gas; a first transport vehicle comprising a power generator togenerate power for the first transport vehicle and a primary fuel gasstorage vessel which is fixed to the first transport vehicle andconnected with the power generator of the first transport vehicle tosupply fuel gas to this power generator; and a second transport vehiclecomprising a power generator to generate power for the second transportvehicle and a primary fuel gas storage vessel which is fixed to thesecond transport vehicle and connected with the power generator of thesecond transport vehicle to supply fuel gas to this power generator;each of the transport vehicles configured to transport the mobile fuelgas storage vessel to a delivery location for off-loading fuel gas fromthe mobile fuel gas storage vessel at the delivery location; wherein themobile fuel gas storage vessel and/or each of the first transportvehicle and the second transport vehicle is/are provided with arespective connecting line and/or a coupling to provide a connectionbetween the mobile fuel gas storage vessel and the power generator ofthe respective one of the first and second transport vehicles fortransfer of gaseous fuel gas from the mobile fuel gas storage vessel tothe power generator of the respective one of the first and secondtransport vehicles.